| 70th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Date | March 23, 1998 |
| Site | Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Billy Crystal |
| Produced by | Gil Cates |
| Directed by | Louis J. Horvitz |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Titanic |
| Most awards | Titanic (11) |
| Most nominations | Titanic (14) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 3 hours, 47 minutes[1] |
| Ratings | 57.25 million 35.32% (Nielsen ratings) |
The70th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 23, 1998, at theShrine Auditorium inLos Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m.PST / 9:00 p.m.EST. During the show, AMPAS presentedAcademy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories honoringfilms released in 1997. The ceremony, which was televised in the United States byABC, was produced byGil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz.[2][3] ActorBilly Crystal hosted the show for the sixth time.[4] He had first hosted the62nd ceremony held in 1990, and most recently theprevious year's awards.[5] Nearly a month earlier in an event held at theRegent Beverly Wilshire Hotel inBeverly Hills, California on February 28, theAcademy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hostAshley Judd.[6]
Titanic won 11 awards, includingBest Picture, a number that is tied withBen-Hur andThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.[7][8] Other winners includedAs Good as It Gets,Good Will Hunting, andL.A. Confidential with two awards, andCharacter,The Full Monty,Geri's Game,The Long Way Home,Men in Black,A Story of Healing, andVisas and Virtue with one. The telecast garnered more than 57 million viewers in the United States, making it the most-watched Oscars broadcast in history.[9]
The nominees for the 70th Academy Awards were announced on February 10, 1998, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, byRobert Rehme, president of the academy, and actressGeena Davis.[10]Titanic led all nominees with fourteen nominations, tying the record for the most nominated film in Oscar history withAll About Eve (1950)[a];Good Will Hunting andL.A. Confidential came in second with nine apiece.[12]
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on March 23, 1998. With eleven awards,Titanic tied withBen-Hur (1959) for the most Academy Awards in Oscar history.[13][b] It also became the first film to win Best Picture without a screenwriting nomination sinceThe Sound of Music (1965).[15]Jack Nicholson became the fourth performer to win at least three acting Oscars.[16] Both Nicholson andHelen Hunt won for their roles inAs Good as It Gets, making it the seventh film to win both lead acting awards.[17] Nominated for their performances as Rose DeWitt Bukater inTitanic, Best Actress nomineeKate Winslet and Best Supporting Actress nomineeGloria Stuart became the first pair of actresses nominated for portraying the same character in the same film.[18][19]
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Winners are listed first, highlighted inboldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[20]
The following 16 films received multiple nominations: | The following four films received multiple awards:
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The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers.[22][23]
| Name(s) | Role |
|---|---|
| Norman Rose | Announcer for the 70th annual Academy Awards |
| Robert Rehme (AMPAS President) | Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony |
| Cuba Gooding Jr. | Presenter of the award forBest Supporting Actress |
| Elisabeth Shue | Presenter of the award forBest Costume Design |
| Dustin Hoffman | Presenter of the 70 years of Best Picture winners montage |
| Neve Campbell | Presenter of the performances of Best Original Song nominees "Journey to the Past" and "Go the Distance" |
| Arnold Schwarzenegger | Presenter of the filmTitanic on the Best Picture segment |
| Mira Sorvino | Presenter of the award forBest Supporting Actor |
| Cameron Diaz | Presenter of the award forBest Sound |
| Mike Myers | Presenter of the award forSound Effects Editing |
| Sigourney Weaver | Presenter of the filmAs Good as It Gets on the Best Picture segment |
| Helen Hunt | Presenter of the award forBest Visual Effects |
| Fay Wray | Introducer of presenters Ben Affleck and Matt Damon |
| Ben Affleck Matt Damon | Presenters of the awards forBest Live Action Short Film andBest Animated Short Film |
| Geoffrey Rush | Presenter of the award forBest Actress |
| Antonio Banderas | Presenter of the award forBest Original Dramatic Score |
| Jennifer Lopez | Introducer of the special dance number to the tune of the nominees forBest Original Musical or Comedy Score and presenter of the award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score |
| Drew Barrymore | Presenter of the award forBest Makeup |
| Alec Baldwin | Presenter of the filmL.A. Confidential on the Best Picture segment |
| Samuel L. Jackson | Presenter of the award forBest Film Editing |
| Ashley Judd | Presenter of the segment of theAcademy Awards for Technical Achievement and theGordon E. Sawyer Award |
| Martin Scorsese | Presenter of theHonorary Academy Award toStanley Donen |
| Matt Dillon | Presenter of the filmGood Will Hunting on the Best Picture segment |
| Madonna | Introducer of the performances of Best Original Song nominees "How Do I Live", "Miss Misery" and "My Heart Will Go On" and presenter of the award forBest Original Song |
| Djimon Hounsou | Presenter of theBest Documentary Short |
| Robert De Niro | Presenter of theBest Documentary Feature |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Presenter of theIn Memoriam tribute |
| Meg Ryan | Presenter of the award forBest Art Direction |
| Robin Williams | Presenter of the 70 Years of Oscars montage |
| Frances McDormand | Presenter of the award forBest Actor |
| Sharon Stone | Presenter of the award forBest Foreign Language Film |
| Jack Lemmon Walter Matthau | Presenters of the awards forBest Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published andBest Original Screenplay/Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen |
| Denzel Washington | Presenter of the award forBest Cinematography |
| Susan Sarandon | Presenter of the Oscar Family Album segment |
| Geena Davis | Presenter of the filmThe Full Monty on the Best Picture segment |
| Warren Beatty | Presenter of the award forBest Director |
| Sean Connery | Presenter of the award forBest Picture |
| Name(s) | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Jerry Goldsmith | Composer | "Fanfare for Oscar" |
| Bill Conti | Musical arranger | Orchestral |
| Billy Crystal | Performer | Opening number: Titanic (to the tune of "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" fromGilligan's Island), As Good as It Gets (to the tune of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" fromShall We Dance), Good Will Hunting (to the tune of "Night and Day" fromThe Gay Divorcee), L.A. Confidential (to the tune of "Fascinating Rhythm" byGeorge Gershwin) and The Full Monty (to the tune "Hello, Dolly!" fromHello, Dolly!)[24] |
| Michael Bolton | Performer | "Go the Distance" fromHercules |
| Aaliyah | Performer | "Journey to the Past" fromAnastasia |
| Trisha Yearwood | Performer | "How Do I Live" fromCon Air |
| Elliott Smith | Performer | "Miss Misery" fromGood Will Hunting |
| Celine Dion | Performer | "My Heart Will Go On" fromTitanic |
In December 1997, the academy hired veteran Oscar telecast producerGil Cates to oversee the 1998 ceremony.[25] "Gil has become the consummate Oscar show producer, consistently garnering top television ratings for the telecast," said AMPAS President Robert Rehme in a press release announcing the selection. "His shows are full of wit, charm and surprise."[25] A few days later, actor and comedian Billy Crystal was chosen to emcee the upcoming telecast. Cates explained his reason to bring back the veteran comedian saying, "Billy's performance last year was spectacular. There is nobody like him."[26] In an article published inUSA Today he initially requested to Cates and AMPAS five months after theprevious year's ceremony that he would like to take a break from hosting duties. However, pressure from the academy, Cates, and several friends and family members made him reconsider his decision.[27] His sixth stint would make him second only toBob Hope in number of ceremonies hosted.[28]
To commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Academy Awards, 70 actors who have received both competitive and honorary awards appeared seated onstage together during a segment called Oscar's Family Album.[29] Each former winner was acknowledged by announcerNorman Rose with the films he or she won for. At the end of the segment newly minted winners Kim Bassinger, Helen Hunt, and Robin Williams joined them. This marked the largest gathering of former winners since the50th ceremony held in 1978.[30] The Academy also commissioned musician and composerJerry Goldsmith to compose a newleitmotif for the Oscars telecast entitled "Fanfare for Oscar".[31]
Several others participated in the production of the ceremony.Bill Conti served as musical director for the telecast.[32] DancerDaniel Ezralow choreographed a dance number showcasing the nominees for Best Original Comedy or Musical Score.[33]Bart the Bear made a surprise appearance during the presentation of theBest Sound Effects Editing award withMike Myers.[34]
At the time of the nominations announcement on February 10, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees was $579 million with an average of $116 million per film.[35]Titanic was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $338.7 million in domestic box office receipts.[35] The film was followed byAs Good as It Gets ($92.6 million),Good Will Hunting ($68.9 million),L.A. Confidential ($39.7 million), and finallyThe Full Monty ($38.7 million).[35]
Of the top 50 grossing movies of the year, 40 nominations went to 15 films on the list. OnlyTitanic (1st),As Good as It Gets (16th),Good Will Hunting (20th), andIn & Out (24th) were nominated for directing, acting, screenwriting, or Best Picture.[36] The other top 50 box office hits that earned nominations wereMen in Black (2nd),The Lost World: Jurassic Park (3rd),Air Force One (5th),My Best Friends Wedding (7th),Face/Off (9th),Con Air (12th),Contact (13th),Hercules (14th),The Fifth Element (25th),Anastasia (30th), andStarship Troopers (34th).[36]
The show received a positive reception from most media publications. Television criticHoward Rosenberg of theLos Angeles Times lauded Crystal's performance writing that he "would earn top billing as that unusual comedian as artful at doing musical comedy as jokes."[37]San Francisco Chronicle columnist John Carman raved,"It was the best Oscar show in two decades." He also gave high marks for the host, commenting, "But last night, Crystal was back in razor form."[38]The Seattle Times television editor Kay McFadden praised Crystal commenting that "he possesses nearly impeccable timing and judgment." In addition, she noted that while the ceremony dragged on, "Last night was one of television's smartest live ceremonies in recent memory."[39]
Some media outlets were more critical of the show. Ray Richmond ofVariety complained that the ceremony proved to be a "Yawner of an Oscarcast." He added that Crystal's "off-the-cuff one-liners sank faster than the great ship herself."[40]Boston Globe television critic Matthew Gilbert bemoaned,"There was hardly a spontaneous moment during last night's Oscarcast."[41] Film critic Carrie Rickey fromThe Philadelphia Inquirer lamented that the inevitableTitanic sweep "sank a telecast loaded with montages of previous years' Oscar highlights."[42]
The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 57.25 million people over its length, which was a 29% increase from theprevious year's ceremony.[43] An estimated 87.50 million total viewers watched all or part of the awards.[44] The show also earned higherNielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 35.32% of households watching over a 55.77 share.[45] In addition, it garnered a higher 18–49 demo rating with a 24.90 rating over a 44.30 share among viewers in that demographic.[45] It was the most watched Oscar ceremony in television history since viewership figures were compiled beginning with the46th ceremony in 1974.[46]
In July 1998, the ceremony presentation received eight nominations at the50th Primetime Emmys.[47] Two months later, the ceremony won five of those nominations forOutstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (Billy Crystal), Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program (Louis J Horvitz), Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, or Movie (Bob Barnhart, Robert Dickinson, Matt Ford, Andy O'Reilly), Outstanding Music Direction (Bill Conti), and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special (Patrick Baltzell, Robert Douglass, Edward J. Greene, Tommy Vicari).[48][49]
The annual "In Memoriam" tribute was presented by actressWhoopi Goldberg. The montage featured an excerpt of "Appassionata" fromThe Passage composed by Michael J. Lewis.[50]
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